Samoset

Born: 1590 AD
Died: 1653 AD

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4.2 (84.36%) 234 votes

1590 – Samoset was the first Native American to make contact with the Pilgrims. He was a member of an Abenaki sachem tribe that resided at that time in Maine. He was a sagamore (subordinate chief) of his tribe and was visiting Chief Massasoit. He had learned his broken English from the English fishermen that came to fish off Monhegan Island. After spending the night with the Pilgrims, he came back two days later with Squanto.

1621 – Strolled straight through the middle of the encampment at Plymouth Colony and greeted them in English and asked whether they had any beer for him on the 16th of March.

1625 – Became the Native American leader and friend of the early colonists and was the first to sell land to the Pilgrims.